Call waiting is a known feature that may be provided on many communications networks for a monthly fee. When a network user is on a call, a tone can be provided to the user to denote another incoming call. The user can respond by pressing a button on the phone, which can place the first call on hold and answer the incoming call. Depressing the button again can return the user to the first call.
For calls the user may not want to have interrupted, such as during a call using a modem connection, the user can dial a code before dialing the number to be called. The call waiting feature will be deactivated for the current call only. The call waiting feature can automatically reactivate once the current call is completed and the user hangs up. The call waiting feature may be combined with a caller identification feature, such that caller information can be displayed to the user. The user may then decide whether to accept the second call or not.
Other features that can allow a user to control incoming calls include a call acceptance feature and a call blocking feature. With the call acceptance feature, the user can input a listing of telephone numbers from which incoming calls will be allowed. Incoming calls from other numbers may not get through to the user, i.e., there will be no indication to the user that an incoming call was effectively blocked. With the call blocking feature, the user can block certain classes of telephone numbers from which incoming calls will not be allowed. The classes may include numbers that have no associated caller identification, or that are identified as “anonymous” or “out-of-area”. Additionally, the user may input a listing of telephone numbers from which incoming calls will not be allowed. Incoming calls from other numbers may get through to the user as normal. Numbers can be added or deleted from the acceptance or blocked numbers lists by dialing a code. The call blocking feature can be activated for a number after completing a call to or from that number.
The communications network may normally charge the user monthly fees for the features described above, or, in the case of the blocked numbers list used independently from the general call blocking feature, a daily fee may be charged until the user deactivates each number on the blocked numbers list.